Chase 2 - March 27th, 2004

March 27th, 2004

SPC Risk: SLIGHT - VERIFICATION
Chasers: Dean S, Reed T, Joel T, Steve
Area Covered: Sharon/Vici, OK area southward to near Custer City, OK
Miles Logged: 378.7
Largest Hail: golfball
Tornadoes: 4

Synopsis/Chase:
Classic triple point setup over NW OK with surface low taking shape over far NW OK during the early afternoon with cold front extending ENE from surface low through Southern KS. Meanwhile, dryline extended southward from surface low near the TX/OK border with 20-35 mph SW winds behind while 30-40 mph SSE winds defined areas east of the dryline. Dewpoints weren't particularly high with upper 50 and low 60 readings common, but wind fields were very impressive with 60+ kts at 850mb through early afternoon and 45+ kts around 925mb! 60+ kt westerlies at 500mb coupled with SSE surface winds produced more than enough directional and speed shear for strong rotating supercells during the early afternoon.

We left around 9:45am to arrive in Woodward near noon. Had just enough time to grab a Subway sandwich, then push south towards a nice looking severe storm WSW of Vici, OK. We jetted south on highway 34, through Sharon, OK, and turned west on country road E0570 on a higher knoll to view the wall cloud to the SW. Time about 1pm as we watched the RFD push SEward around the wall cloud and trigger tornadogenesis with the first funnel tightning up. Had two separate vortices for a time, but our little funnel became a satellite to a larger circulation just to the NW which became the primary area. Meanwhile a few golfballs pounded my car followed by a bit of rain, then quiet set in as the area of circulation grew stronger with translucent rain curtains wrapping around and fibers of scud hanging low to the ground. Finally a definite vorticy tightened and kicked up a few pieces of debri to confirm an actual tornado, now only about 150 yards to our south. We watched as the tornado moved NNE to eventually cross the road to our east, then eventually cross highway 34 as it pushed NEward, at this point a large F2-F3 wedge! Didn't last long as a strong tornado (maybe 5 minutes tops), but was very intense for that time as you can see from the pictures. Stayed with the wedge for its life, then pushed east on country road E0540, back n forth through Mutual, OK as we viewed another wall cloud SW of Mutual, but didn't produce more than several funnels.

We abandoned the Vici/Mutual, OK storms for another tornadic supercell south near Custer City, OK. Punched the core from the north with hail no larger than quarters, jumped on highway 33 east and viewed a small needle tornado at the apex of the RFD and inflow area to our north. Very anticlimatic after the earlier wedge, but still another tornado under our belt. Good stuff! With an already successful day of pure adrenaline and intensity, we headed for OKC to call it quits for Chase # 2. Great start to the season!

distant wall cloud WSW of Vici, OK	Wall cloud tightening up! almost tornado time!	first funnel appears	2nd circulation to NW of funnel increases	2nd circulation strengthens
almost! almost!	our twister at its strongest part 1	our twister at its strongest part 2	our twister at its strongest part 3	funnel NW of Mutual, OK
wall cloud north of Mutual, OK	wall cloud gives it a good go!	another wall cloud shot	bit of a funnel	me and my funnel!
Joel and his funnel!	Steve and his funnel!	wall cloud again	distance shot of once tornadic Vici cell	HP Monster near Custer City, OK

Tornadic storm near
Kingfisher, OK

another shot

See the entire chase on video! March 27th, 2004

This DVD is PURE ENERGY as we find ourselves literally YARDS away from a large F2-F3 twister near Vici, OK. Very rare video as this is the only closeup video of this twister since most chasers were viewing the southern storm.

Sample Clip

(Length: 60 min) - (DVD: $19.95) - (VHS: $15.95)

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